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Provide publicly accessible open spaces at street level that provide pedestrian linkages
throughout Downtown.
1.
Open space should be:
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Located at the ground level;
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Open to the public during daylight hours and it should be clear that all are encouraged
to take advantage of the space - that they are not a private amenity, but rather a
public one;
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At least 500 square feet in size;
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Lined with ground floor spaces designed for retail, especially restaurants that include
outdoor dining, and/or cultural uses, along at least 20 percent of its frontage.
2.
A paseo should:
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Connect from a public street to another public street, public alley or the San Antonio
River;
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Be at least 15 feet wide and should be located in the middle one-third of a block
and provide vertical access from the public sidewalk to the River Walk as seen in
figure 6.1;
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Be open to the public during normal business hours;
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Have a clear line of sight to the river of the adjoining street;
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Be at least 50 percent open to the sky or covered with a transparent material;
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Be lined with some ground floor spaces designed for retail, especially restaurants,
and/or cultural uses along at least 25 percent of its frontage;
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Include at least one gathering place with a fountain or other focal element.
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Provide a niche for recycling and waste receptacles to be shared with nearby, older
buildings lacking such facilities; and
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Add effective lighting to enhance visibility and safety.
Provide adequate open space for residential projects.
3.
At least 25 percent of the required trees should be canopy trees that shade open spaces,
sidewalks and buildings as seen in Figure 6.2.
4.
Required trees may be planted off-site if Planning and Community Development and Development
Services Departments determine that they cannot be accommodated on-site. Off-site
trees may be planted, in the following locations in order of preference: nearby streets
on the preferred location for of-site tree planting. Public parks are the next most
preferred. The least preferred is payment of monies into a tree mitigation fund.
Establish a clear hierarchy of common open spaces distinguished by design and function
to create and connect a pedestrian realm that is conducive to both active and passive
uses.
The common open spaces in downtown are comprised of the following features:
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Streets:
Streets are among the most public of all open spaces, and communicate the quality
of the public environment and the care a city has for its residents.
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The San Antonio River Walk:
Is also among the most public of all downtown's open spaces. As outdoor pathways devoted
exclusively to pedestrians as shown in Figure 6.3, they provide lateral access along
the edges of the San Antonio River. Pathways link a considerable number of hotels,
restaurants and retail shops.
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Residential Setbacks:
Residential building setbacks adjacent to buildings provide a transition between the
public and private realm, allowing residents to have semi-private spaces with visual
access to the public realm.
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Mid-Block Paseos:
Paseos are extensions of the street grid located on either public or private property.
As outdoor passages devoted exclusively to pedestrians, they establish clear connections
among streets, alleys, plazas and courtyards, building entrances, parking and transit
facilities that are accessible to the public.
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Entry Forecourts:
Entry forecourts announce the function and importance of primary building entrances.
They should provide a clear, comfortable transition between exterior and interior
space.
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Courtyards:
Courtyards are common open space areas of a scale and enclosure that is conducive
to social interaction at a smaller scale.
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Plazas:
Plazas are common open space areas typically amenable to larger public gatherings.
They are readily accessible from the street, as well as active building uses as seen
in Main Plaza Figure 6.4.
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Corner Plazas:
Corner plazas should be appropriate in scale (intimate for residential, larger for
commercial) and be programmed with specific uses (to provide outdoor dining for an
adjacent restaurant, or small neighborhood gathering place featuring a public amenity).
Unprogrammed or over-scaled corner plazas are discouraged.
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Roof Terraces:
Roof terraces and gardens can augment open space and are especially encouraged in
conjunction with hotels or residential uses.
Incorporate amenities that facilitate outdoor activities such as standing, sitting,
strolling, conversing, window-shopping and dining, including seating for comfort and
landscaping for shade and aesthetics. Open spaces can feature art work, street furniture,
and landscaping that invite customers or enhance a building's setting.
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Provide landscaping and seating in each open space type as follows: paseo, courtyards,
plazas, roof terraces.
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Ensure anti-skateboard and anti-graffiti design features, pedestrian-scaled signage
that identifies uses and shops, site furniture, art work, or amenities such as fountains,
seating, and kiosks.
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Buffer seating areas from traffic; for example, position a planter between a bench
and curb whenever possible.
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Utilize buildings, colonnades and landscaping to define edges and create a sense of
three-dimensional containment to urban open spaces and plazas.
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Plazas and courtyards are encouraged to incorporate amenities beyond the minimum required,
including permanent and/or temporary seating, to facilitate enjoyment and use. Seating
should be placed with consideration to noontime sun and shade; deciduous trees should
be planted to provide the most comfortable access to sun and shade.
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Furniture and fixtures should be selected with regard to maintenance considerations.
Ample seating in both shaded and sunny locations should be provided in the plaza areas.
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Street furniture should be located in close proximity to areas of high pedestrian
activity and clustered in groupings.
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Barriers may be considered to separate pedestrian and dining activities through planters,
rails and chain with bollards. However they should be moveable.
Use landscape elements to provide shade and other functional and aesthetic principles.
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On roof terraces, incorporate trees and other plantings in permanent and temporary
planters that will provide shade, reduce reflective glare, and add interest to the
space. In addition, provide permanent and moveable seating that is placed with consideration
to sun and shade, and other factors contributing to human comfort.
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Landscape elements should support an easy transition between indoor and outdoor through
spaces, well-sited and comfortable steps, shading devices and/or planters that mark
building entrances, etc., as seen in Figure 6.5.
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Landscape elements should establish scale and reinforce continuity between indoor
and outdoor space. Mature canopy trees should be provided within open spaces, especially
along streets and required setbacks.
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Landscape elements should provide scale, texture and color. A rich, coordinated palette
of landscape elements that enhances the development site's identity is encouraged.
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Landscaping should be used to screen or divide up blank wall massing. For example,
trees and shrubs may be planted in front of a blank wall where there is room or vines
may be trained on the wall where space is limited.
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